Grappling device



Dec. 4, 1934. E. H. SPIEGL 1,983,053

GRAPPLING DEVICE Filed March 17, 1933 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR. [/05 f1. f a/zgfi ATTORNEYS.

Dec. 4, 1934. E. H. SPIEGL 1,983,053

GRAPPLING DEVICE I Filed March 17, 1935 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR. f///5 /7 J'pmgfi ATTORNEYS.

Dec. 4, 1934. E, H, SHEGL 1,983,053

GRAPPLING DEVI CE Filed March 1'7, 1955 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 fiatented Dec. 4, 1934 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE a d l 1,983,053 i .GRAPPLING DEVIICE Ellis n. Spiegl, Salinas, Calif. Application arcel}, 1933, Serial No; 661,234 Claims. (Cl. 294- -c7 shown; in Figure The invention, generally,.relates to means for grappling and hoisting relatively large and heavy Moreparticularly, the invention relates bodies.: to a device for use in hoisting .containersathe device being sov constructed as to enable the lifting of relatively large and heavily loaded (3011-,

tainers andtofimaintainy the containers in sub.- stantiallyneutral equilibrium ,while being lifted. a The: device of my invention; is adaptable for uselin :many environments,such as. in lifting relatively large containers ,office and: the like from; platforms to, conveyors or for hoisting crates of more iorless unwieldy sizes. ,The device, has been designed, :however, with particularfreference to the hoisting of relativelyilarge.and heavy lettuce crates andis especially suitable forsuch use. .1

1 It isanobject of my invention to provide a simpleryet rugged grappling device which enables hoisting of relatively large and heavy bodies while maintaining: the same in substantially: neutral equilibrium during lifting operations. i 'Another object of the invention isfltoprovide agrappling .device which is readily...and easily placed; into engagement with a load l and -also readily ,disengageabletherefrom.

m.,A,still' further object ,of the invention 15 156 provide; 139 durable yet inexpensively manufac:

tured device of the aforementioned character. 580;

Other, objects of the I invention, together i with some :of the advantageous features "thereof; :will appearmfrom the-,fol1owing description of the preferred embodiment of the invention which is illustratedin the accompanying drawings.

Referringto the drawings: H

Figure 1 is a plan of an embodimentziofthe invention, illustrated in operative position, ,for lifting awcontainer. I c Figure 2, is an elevation ofthe embodiment 1 and taken on the line 2 -2 thereof. q l l a l Figure *3 isa" plan of a modified embodiment oftheinvention; M; ,Q- v In its preferred form, the grappling device of my invention preferably comprises a truss supporting a plurality. of spaceduguides, a'pair Of OPDOSBdL body engaging elements .slidably mounted in the guides, together with means for sliding the opposed elements of eachpair of. body engaging elements into engagementwithoppositesidesgof a body and at spaced pointsthereon tainer will not be displaced or spille providea truss,ugenerally designated by the ref erence numeral 11, whichincludesa pair of spaced, longitudinally-extending beams 12 and 13, as well tie rods14, 16, 17 and 18. .A ring 19 conveniently is provided at the junction of the tierods, thatis, at a point substantially at the center of the truss, for receiving cables or other. connections of a hoisting mechanism, not shown.

A The truss 11 carries a plurality of spaced guides 21* and 22 which span beams 12 and 13 and, while Ihave illustrated but two guides, it is to be understood. that additional guides, together with associated parts, :can be employed without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. Spanning the guides 121 and22, andpreferably disposed equidistantly from the beams 12 and 13,

is a longitudinally-extending, rotatable member 23which convenientlyis journaledin bearings 24 andy26 mounted on the guides 21 and 22 respectively.

1 In accordancewiththe invention, a pair of opposed body engaging elements 27 and 28 are slidably mounted in each guide 21 and 22, the opposed elements of each pair being adapted to be moved into andout of engagement with opposite sides 29 and 31 of abody desired to be hoisted. It is to beobserved' that inasmuch as the guides 21 and 22 are spaced apart, the body engaging elements 27 and 28 are adapted to engage the opposite sides ofa body at spaced points. Moreoventhe device is constructed of such dimensions and theguides and associated body engaging elements are. so spaced thatcuponengagement of a body and a hoisting thereof the body will be maintained in substantiallyneutral equilibrium during hoisting operations. and hence, in the event an open container is being lifted, the contents of the con- .To effect movement .of each element 27 and 28 of each opposed pairof elements, so as to place the same into engagement with opposite sides of a bodyand torelea'se the same from the body, I provide a plurality of toggles, generally designated by thereference numeral 32, each of which includes toggle links 33 and 34. The links 33 conveniently are .pivotally connected to the rotatable member 23, while the links =34 are pivotally connectedto links 33. as well as to collars 35 mounted upon theibody engaging elements 27 and 28, see Figure l of. the'drawings. Upon a rotation of themember 23 in one direction, the toggles 32 effect movement ofthe opposed elements 27 and 28 in opposite directions and place the same into engagement with opposite sides of a body to be hoisted. Conversely, upon a rotation of the mem- 28 in engagement with the opposite sides thereof,

the links 33 and 34. of the toggles will assume a comparatively straight line position, as illustrated in Figure 1 of the drawings, and hence the toggles will effectively lock the elements 27 and '28 in engaged position, or, in other words, in abutment,

with the opposite sides of the container.

For purposes of illustration only; I have shown the grappling device of my invention as applied to an open top container 36 which is of the character disclosed in my copendingapplication Serial No. 653,222, filed January 24., 1933, and entitled Gathering apparatus and method. The container 36. includes bounding margins preferably constructed of angle ironsv 3.7 which are co-extensive with the length and width of the container, and the container is reinforced with suitable rods, such as a plurality of spaced, transversely ar-v ranged T-straps 38. In the container illustrated in Figure 1 of the drawings, I have shown three transverse T-straps 38, one adjacenteach longitudinal extremity of the container and one at the centerthereof. The grappling device-of my invention preferably is constructed to such size that it substantially spans. .the outer T-straps, as shown. With this size of grappling device a pair of opposed body-engaging elements 27 and 28. engages the container at opposite sides thereof and underneath the longitudinally-extending angle irons 37, adjacent one outer T-strapv 38, while another pair of opposed body-engaging elements 27 and 28 engages the container adjacent the other outer T-strap 38,. v In order conveniently toenable ready movement or rotation of the member 23. and hence place the body-engaging elements 27 and 28: into. and out of engagement. with the container 3 6,.I provide a hand lever 39. which is, fixedly secured to the member 23 adjacent one of the guides 21' or 22. W ith the container 36 upon a. platform andbefore hoisting thereof, the grappling device can be centered over the container or placed in operative position and the hand lever then actuated to move the members. 23, toggles 32, and hence elements 2'7 and 28, into. engagement with opposite sides of the. container. The lever 39; ismoved to its fullest extent in the direction which places the elements 27. and 28 into. engagement, so that the lengths. 33 and 34 assume a straight line position. The cable. or other line. of ahoist ing mechanism is. then aifixed to. the device by attaching the same to the ring 19 of the truss, and the hoistingoperation, is begun. Upon reaching the level desired and depositing the hoisted container, the grapplingdevice is released.

order to effect a release of the device from a position below the hoisted container, as, for ex ample, from the platform from which the container has been lifted, I have provided a cable 41 which is connected to the hand lever 39 and which passes over a pulley: 42' conveniently mounted on a standard 43 aflixed to the truss. 111 of the device. The; cable 41 can be madetoianygiven length. and preferably isof such length asto extend. between. the levels; of hoisting operations.

Accordingly, an operator upon the platform from which the container has been lifted, in order to release the grappling device, is required merely to pull upon the cable 41 to actuate the lever 39 in the opposite direction from which it has been theretoiore moved. Actuation of the lever in such direction reverses the movement of the bodyengaging elements 2'? and 28 to disengage the same from the container or, in other words to release the container.

In Figure 3 of the drawings I have illustrated a modified embodiment of the grappling device of my invention. This modification has been especially designed and is particularly suitable for use in hoisting a plurality of bodies such as containers simultaneously. In general, the modified embodiment is similar in all respects to the embodiment illustrated in Figures 1 and 2 of the drawings. However, it is to be noted that in the modification shown in Figure 3 of the drawings, the truss 11 so supports or so carries. the guides 22, together with the associated opposed bodyengaging elements 27 and 28, that each body or container 36 or a plurality of the same is engaged by at least one body-engaging element. It is to be further observed that all of the opposed bodyengaging elements 27 and 28 are actuated simultaneously and in one operation so as to grasp or release a plurality of containers simultaneously. This actuation ofthe several body-engaging elements is effected by the movement of the lever 39 which in turn causes movement of the rotatable member-23 and consequently actuation of the several toggles 32 which are connected through toggle links 33 and 34 with each element of the pair of opposed body-engaging elements, all as described hereinabove in connection with the embodiment illustrated in Figures 1 and 2 of the drawings. In the embodiment shown in Figure 3,. I have illustrated the device in position for use in hoisting two containers 36 arranged end to. end in abutting relationship, the body-engaging elements 2'1 and 281 of the grapplingdevice being placed into and withdrawn from engagement with the sides; 29 and 31 of each of the containers. If desired, but one pair of op posed body-engaging elements can be utilized for each container, rather than twoor more elements.

per container.

' While I' have illustrated the preferred embodiment, of'the invention in the. accompanying drawings, it is to be understood that I amnot to be limited to the embodiment shown, as my invention, as defined in the appended claims, can be embodied in a pluralityand variety of forms.

I claim:

1. A grappling device for use in hoisting bodies, said device comprising a truss including a plurality of spaced, longitudinally-extending beams, a plurality of guides connected across said beams, a movable member spanning said guides, at pairof opposed body engaging elements slidably mounted in each of said guides, toggles connectmg each pair of said elements to said movable member, and means for moving said member to actuate said toggles. and tocause opposed elements of eachof? said pair of elements to engage opposite sides of abody-to belifted:

' 2'. A grappling device for use in hoisting bodies,

said, device comprising a frame, a pair of spaced elementsto sai'd movable member, and means for 150 moving said member to actuate said toggle links and to cause opposed elements ofeach of said pair of elements to be moved so as to engage opposite sides of a body to be lifted at spaced points thereon. l

3. A grappling device for use in hoisting bodies, said device comprising a truss, a ring carried by said truss and to which hoisting mechanism can be connected, a plurality of spaced guides on said truss, a pair of opposedbody-engaging elements slidably mounted on each of said guides, a movable member journaled in said truss, toggles connecting said movable member to each pair of said opposed elements; actuation of said toggles causing movement of each pair of opposed elements whereby opposite sides of a body can be engaged and disengaged by said elements at spaced points i on the body, and means for moving said member to actuate said toggles.

4. A grappling device for use in hoisting a plurality of bodies of predetermined widths and lengths, said device comprising a truss spanning said bodies, a plurality of pairs of spaced guides carried by said truss; one pair of guides being supported over each body to be hoisted, a pair of opposed body-engaging elements slidably mounted in each of said guides, a movable member spanning said guides, toggles connecting each pair of said elements to said movable member, and means for moving said member to actuate said toggles and to cause opposed body-engaging elements of each pair to engage opposite sides of each body to be hoisted.

5. A grappling device for use in hoisting a plurality of bodies of predetermined width and length, said device comprising a frame including a plurality of spaced, longitudinally extending beams spanning said bodies, a plurality of guides connected across said beams, a movable member spanning said guides, a pair of opposed body-engaging elements slidably mounted in each of said guides, toggles connecting each pair of said elements to said movable member, and means for moving said member to actuate said toggles and to cause opposed elements of each pair thereof to engage opposite sides of each of the bodies to be hoisted.

ELLIS H. SPIEGL. 

